


When the Wind Blows, When the Bough Breaks

by Zippit



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-23 03:46:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11394702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zippit/pseuds/Zippit
Summary: The Troubles have been gone for years and Audrey's now a feature around town. Life in Haven has moved on until one day baby Jean shows back up in town looking for her dad.





	When the Wind Blows, When the Bough Breaks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SadieFlood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieFlood/gifts).



> Takes the canon for only the early seasons, likely just 1 and 2, of Haven. Everything else didn't happen, lol.
> 
> The boys had such a less complicated relationship back then.
> 
> Thanks for the chance to write these two. I hope you enjoy!

Little baby Jean, all grown up, well as grown up at thirteen as you can be. As grown up as he was at that age with his father dead, his mother long gone, and relatives someplace he didn’t care to know about.

He’s not as young as he used to be.

The Troubles are long gone. (But Audrey isn’t.)

She shows him a picture and it’s him laughing on one of the rock piers jutting out into the sea. On the back in Nathan’s neat handwriting “Your Dad, July 15th.” Of course. Of course it would be Nathan. It’s all his fault as pain lances through his chest and Duke grabs his shoulder.

He saw her at the Gull during lunchtime. A popular hangout for the high school kids during their lunch break. But she was no high school kid. Too young for that but old age in her eyes, in her stance. He’d only wanted to make sure she was ok, in the right place, and not another lost kid out on her own, possibly looking for a job. Not that he had any job openings right now.

“Do I know you? You look familiar.”

“Call Nathan,” he manages to get out before he’s grabbing at the counter, trying to stay upright. Pain beats through him with every breath and the doorway to the backroom is too damn far away. He doesn’t expect her to get ahold of Nathan. Just tell someone. There’s an arm around his shoulders helping him and a distant voice calling his name. Melissa? Is that Melissa? His bartender? He doesn’t know. He can see heads turning his direction as customers start to notice. This isn’t the way he wanted to go. It wasn’t the way he wanted to go thirteen years ago either. But does that mean…are the Troubles back? He needs to talk to Audrey. He needs to tell Nathan. At least he won’t be used against her and Nathan this time.

It’s the last thought he has until he wakes up in the hospital.

* * *

Duke opens his eyes to the calm dimness of a hospital room. Beeping monitors and starchy sheets, a pillow that’s not his own under his head. He blinks because he was certain that was the end. The looming shadow to his right can only be Nathan but there’s no sign of the kid, of Jean, Jean. He tries to say Nathan’s name but all that comes out is a croak. Duke clears his throat and looks for water. The hand he reaches out for the glass shakes and only steadies when Nathan presses the glass into his hand and guides it to his mouth. Nathan’s fingers stay curled around his wrist as he swallows then licks his lips before asking, “Jean?”

“With Audrey.”

He closes his eyes and breathes. The first breath he feels like he’s taken since he was handed that picture of himself. “The Troubles? Are they back?” He opens his eyes to look at Nathan. It’s too dark for him to read the expression in his eyes and maybe that’s a good thing. Fingers tighten around his wrist before they relax and he notices the press of fingers more tightly over his pulse.

“Don’t know. We were a bit busy.” Nathan gives him a pointed look. Oh, oh. That’s a change. He would’ve figured the Troubles came first. He tilts his head back and it’s weird looking up at Nathan. It’s been a long time since one of them was taller than the other. Maybe he’s still out of it because this, this isn’t a train of thought he’d ever figure on having.

“You…you—”

“Yes?” Nathan looks at him.

“-kept in touch with her.” Duke would like some of that extra light that’s been removed from his room back, thanks. It’d make things a whole lot easier when it came to Nathan. Not like he has any trouble reading him normally but in the dark, with his near death a close reminder, it doesn’t make for anything easy. Nathan shifts back and shoves his hands in his pockets. He steps back and pulls the curtains wider to let the light in and a glance toward the doorway. Duke looks too and sees nothing but the sterile hallway of the hospital beyond the frame. He looks back to Nathan when he speaks.

“Something Parker said back then.”

It reminds him of his own conversation with Audrey. When the one picture of his baby girl had been on a cellphone, the one and only glimpse he’d had. The words were about what had to be done and never missing what you never had but underneath it all were the meanings of choices and loss. He remembers Nathan out the window and the tentative beginning that never happened. “I get it,” he says quiet.

The beep of monitors and the rush of ventilation fills the room and Nathan steps close again, his hand curling around the bed rail. “She reminds me of you,” Nathan says with that smile that’s no longer as rare as it used to be or comes only at his expense though this may be the latter.

Duke tries to say something. Even opens his mouth to do so then closes it again. One more and still nothing. He grabs a pillow from behind him and chucks it at Nathan. “I hate you. Why do I put up with you?” He looks up to the ceiling and sighs.

A hand grips his shoulder as he’s gently pushed forward while the pillow’s shoved back behind him. “You mean I put up with you.” The hand lingers and Duke doesn’t shrug it off. He squints up at Nathan.

“Does she really?” 

“In all the worst ways.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You would.” He grins because this is familiar. This is them. Duke’s eyes slide closed when the hand on his shoulder moves to the back of his neck and squeezes, thumb brushing along the side. “It’ll be fine, Duke. We’ll figure things out.”

Like they always did. One way or the other. Didn’t mean there weren’t any bumps and bruises. Just meant they were okay in the end. “So when can I get out of here?” He leans back more into Nathan’s touch and there’s no missing the way his hand tightens.

“The doctors want to keep you for observation.” This is not the discussion he wants to be having. He wants to be out of here and seeing his baby girl. She probably has more questions than answers and all of this isn’t helping.

“Nathan.”

“Duke.”

“I want to see her. She’s my daughter.”

“You already saw her.”

“Not long enough.” He holds up a hand to stop further words. “And I was fine until she gave me the picture with your handwriting on the back.” He tilts his head to the side as he looks up at him. “How’d you even get that anyway? I don’t remember a camera out there.”

“I have my ways.” Accompanied by a waggle of eyebrows and a slight smile. He’ll get it out of Nathan at some point or maybe it’ll go unspoken like many other things. Like why Nathan kept such close contact with a daughter that wasn’t his own. In Nebraska.

“I’m leaving whether you’re going to help me or not.” He grabs for the IV but Nathan forces his hand back to the bed with a glare.

"Did you forget? You put me as your next of kin on all the paperwork."

It registers with an "oh shit." The docs all adore Nathan here from his weird medical history to everything else that happened in Haven. If Nathan wanted something, then there wasn't anything they wouldn't give him.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Duke glares back at Nathan and slumps back into his pillows. This isn't over. Far from it. It's just beginning. He's going to see his daughter no matter what. Not even the damn Troubles are going to stop him.


End file.
